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About THE BEAU & THE BELLE

Beau Fortier starred in most of my cringe-worthy teenage fantasies.

I met him when I was a junior in high school, a time that revolved exclusively around bad hair, failed forays into flirting, and scientific inquiries into which brand of toilet paper worked best for stuffing bras.

That is, until Beau moved into the small guest house just beyond my bedroom window.

A 24-year-old law student at Tulane, Beau was as mysterious to me as second base (both in baseball and in the bedroom). He was older. Intimidating. Hot. Boys my age had chicken legs and chubby cheeks. Beau had calloused hands and a jaw cut from steel. Our interactions were scarce—mostly involving slight stalking on my end—and yet deep down, I desperately hoped he saw me as more of a potential lover than a lovesick loser.

Review

Unrequited love can really mess with a high school girl, especially one like Lauren LeBlanc -a young women who already has self-esteem issues and overthinks every action and reaction she makes when it comes to the boy, or in this case, the man who stars in her every fantasy, wishing that their differing ages wasn’t a factor and that he saw her for who she is inside, not who she is based on her age or her nerdy/less stylish appearance.

Lauren’s feelings for Beau Fortier may seem like only a naïve girl’s crush, but to her, he is everything she’s always wanted – a hero in his own right simply because of the man that he is and the temperament and care he gives to those around him. Beau stormed into Lauren’s life and stole a piece of her heart even though he couldn’t reciprocate her feelings, and while their time spent together was fleeting, ten years later, when Lauren returns to New Orleans, Beau can’t help but see the woman she’s become and as he remembers the girl she used to be and the pull he felt to her even though it was forbidden all those years ago, the 27 year old Lauren is no longer off limits and Beau’s bound and determined to win her heart again regardless of how much she tries to fight it and him.

Divided into two parts, the past and the present, Lauren and Beau’s story illustrates who both characters were and the people they have pushed themselves to become. R.S. Grey does a good job of showing the small ways Lauren and Beau have grown during the decade they’ve been apart, but the changes are subtle, which is perfect, because at their core, they’re still the same people, with the same values and passions, only now there’s a chance for them to make a relationship work because their age difference no longer matters…now Beau’s main obstacle is Lauren’s refusal to give into Beau’s charming ways even when it’s clear he still holds her heart.

New Orleans and its history plays a pivotal role in Lauren and Beau’s story…not only due to the significance of their respective last names but also in regards to their career goals, especially for Beau. All he’s wanted to do is give his mother back her heritage, allowing her to no longer struggle and revel in the fact that the family’s name has been restored and placed where it rightly belongs. He honestly achieves way more than he’s ever imagined he could and now that the girl/woman who hasn’t strayed too far from his mind is back in their hometown, it’s finally time to claim her as his – the way she has always been regardless of time or the distance between them.

I love R.S. Grey’s romantic comedies, mostly because I tend to relate to her quirky and somewhat reserved heroines but also because the comedic aspects of her storylines aren’t simply there to force a reaction; there’s a purpose to the witty retorts and whimsical hilarity that occurs and that’s the kind of humor I enjoy reading.

The slow burn of the Grey’s stories, the comical exchanges between the hero and the heroine, and each book’s defining moment all work together to create an engaging and well-written plot that leads me to constantly shake my head, quirk my eyebrow and laugh out loud at how everything plays out amidst the pages of the book.

4 Poison Apples

About R.S. Grey

R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of thirteen novels, including THE FOXE & THE HOUND. She lives in Texas with her husband and two dogs, and can be found reading, binge-watching reality TV, or practicing yoga! Visit her at rsgrey.com